1. Technical Field
This invention relates to an accessory for extending functions of an electronic device.
2. Background Art
JP 9-265333, A discloses an accessory mounted on an extending device and an electronic device mounted on the accessory. Mechanical equipment for extending functions of the electronic device such as a CD-ROM is installed in the extending device, and a PCMCIA card or the like can be inserted into the accessory.
The accessory is provided with a locking part. When the accessory is locked, a hook of the accessory locks the electronic device and a shutter of the accessory shuts an insertion mouth of the card. Such the locking operation prevents the electronic device and the card (the mechanical equipment) from being stolen.
However, the conventional device drives the hook in connection with the locking part. Therefore, when the electronic device and the card are removed from the accessory, it is required to insert the key into the locking part to unlock, resulting in inconvenience for a user. Furthermore, the device requires a complicated structure for transmitting rotating force and spring force of the key inserted in the locking part to the hook part and the shutter by the aid of a rotating member and a sliding plate or the like.
In ejecting the electronic device, the key is inserted in the locking part, is rotated by predetermined degrees to unlock the electronic device, and is further rotated to eject the electronic device. Such the two-time rotating operation of the key complicates operation for ejection. Furthermore, a special locking part for enabling predetermined operations with the two-time rotating operation is required.
An accessory of an electronic device of this invention comprises a main base including a mounting part for mounting an electronic device and a housing part for housing mechanical equipment, a catching part provided on the main base so as to move between a locking position for locking the mechanical equipment housed in the housing part and an unlocking position for unlocking the mechanical equipment, a first operation part provided on the main base for operating the catching part, a hook part provided on the main base so as to move between a locking position for locking the electronic device and an unlocking position for unlocking the electronic device, a second operation part provided on the main base for operating the hook part, a locking part provided detachably from the main base, and a lock object selecting means for changing a combination of operation allowance and operation inhibition of the first operation part and the second operation part by position operation.
With the above structure, the mechanical equipment housed in the housing part is locked and unlocked by the first operation part, and the electronic device is locked and unlocked by the second operation part. Therefore, the mechanical equipment and the electronic device are separately unlocked, and furthermore a special key conventionally required is not necessary. As a result, operability is improved. In addition, the lock object selecting means enables to select between an operation for prohibiting operation of the first operation part (inhibition of taking out the mechanical equipment) and for allowing operation of the second operation part (allowing of removing the electronic device), and an operation for prohibiting operation of both of the first and second operation parts. That is, a user can freely select a lock object. When the locking part and a desk or the like are linked with each other by a chain or the like, the accessory is prevented from being stolen.
The operation allowance and the operation inhibition of the first operation part and the second operation part by the lock object selecting means is achieved irrespective of locking and unlocking of the locking part. Therefore, the electronic device can be locked and unlocked by operating the second operation part even when the locking part is locked. Therefore, it is not necessary to use a key and operability can be improved.
Position operation of the lock object selecting means is not performed when the locking part is locked. When the locking part is locked with the lock object selected by the lock object selecting means, it is prevented that the lock object is changed or released by position operation of the lock object selecting means so that the electronic device and the mechanical equipment can be securely prevented from being stolen. Furthermore, it is not necessary to unlock the locking part in order to take out the mechanical equipment which is not the lock object so that operability can be improved.
An accessory of an electronic device comprises a main base including a mounting part for mounting an electronic device and a housing part for housing mechanical equipment, a catching part provided on the main base so as to move between a locking position for locking the mechanical equipment housed in the housing part and an unlocking position for unlocking the mechanical equipment, a first operation part provided on the main base for operating the catching part, a hook part provided on the main base so as to move between a locking position for locking the electronic device and an unlocking position for unlocking the electronic device, a second operation part provided on the main base for operating the hook part, a locking part provided detachably from the main base, a control plate movably provided in a plurality of places on the main base, and a lock object selecting part for operating to move the control plate. When the locking part mounted to the main base is locked with the control plate being in the first position, the locking part can not detach from the main base, movement of the hook part to the unlocking position is allowed, movement of the locking part to the unlocking position is restricted, and movement of the control plate from the first position to other positions is restricted.
When the locking part mounted on the main base is locked with the control plate being in the second position, the locking part can not detach from the main base, movement of the hook part to the unlocking position is allowed, movement of the locking part to the unlocking position is restricted, and movement of the control plate from the second position to other positions is restricted.
When the locking part mounted on the main base is locked with the control plate being in the third position, the locking part can not detach from the main base, movement of the hook part to the unlocking position is restricted, movement of the catching part to the unlocking position is restricted, and movement of the control plate from the second position to other positions is restricted.
With this structure, the control plate is restricted from moving to other positions, and the user can freely select a lock object.
The electronic device is a portable personal computer. The mechanical equipment is mechanical equipment for extending functions of the electronic device. The mechanical equipment for extending functions of the electronic device is housed in the accessory for mounting the electronic device, and the mechanical equipment for extending functions and the portable personal computer are combined so the computer can have functions of more than a single unit. Therefore, a conventional function extending device is not necessary and the unit can reduce its size and cost.
A plurality of mechanical equipment are housed in the main base. With this structure, two or more recording medium reproducing devices (such as a floppy disk driver and a CD-ROM driver) can be housed so that the electronic device further expands the functions. In this case, it is desired that the catching part and the first operation part are separately provided for each of the mechanical equipment housed in the main base. With this structure, each of the mechanical equipment is separately locked and unlocked, resulting in improved operability.
The locking part is a Kensington type one. The locking part of this type can be removed from the main base and the accessory can be carried out to any places when the locking part is unlocked. When the locking part is locked, it is locked to the main base and the accessory comprising the main base etc. can be prevented from being stolen.
The lock object selecting means is operated on the rear surface side of the main base. With this structure, other person except the user can not know the lock object easily.